What it takes to be on top!
by Koten123
Summary: Seventeen year old Grant Lucas begins his journey with his best friend, Cameran, documenting his journey on video. With hopes of winning an online competition, he strives to help people learn what it takes to be on top. However, in a world filled with corruption, deceit, violence, and death, will Grant be able to stay true to himself, or will the world change his outlook on life?
1. Chapter 1

**Hi Koten123 here, yet again, for another pokemon story. I'll actually try to stay this one out of a sense of obligation because I told someone I'd do it. Anyway, there will be a one slot open for an OC, a male love interest for the main character, Grant, yes he's gay, well Bi, but I've never actually committed myself to writing a truly gay character so I'm trying that out. Just send a PM of a character in good detail, don't make it OP and they'll become a pretty reoccurring character. Anyway, on to the story. Just an introduction of sorts.**

Step 1- Get started

"Hi Grant Lucas here! And thanks for watching my new series of short videos on 'What it takes to be on top. In these short videos I'll discuss the various steps it takes to be a pokemon master." Grant flashed a toothy smile and continued talking. "A little bit 'bout me before the first step. I currently live in the small city of Valdosta, Georgia, for the next hour anyway. I'm seventeen years old, I have one pokemon, my Vulpix. Love him so much. Uhh one more thing, hmmm. I know, my best friend Cameran, girl who is currently holding the camera right now is also accompanying me on this journey."

"Yes, and I'd like you to hurry the hell up!" Cameran shouts from behind the camera.

"Ok! Ok! Calm your tits. Anyway, the first step on the way to the top is to actually start. Prepare for it, set goals, map it out, but if things don't go according to plan, expect to throw everything away and wing it." Grant left a dramatic pause and gave a small thumbs up.

"Ok that's it for this video, Grant signing off." Cameran turned the computer off and quickly uploaded the video to YouTube.

"I have how annoyingly cheery you are in those videos." Cameran tells me as soon as she puts her laptop in her bag.

* * *

"You don't think I feel the same way?" I roll my eyes with and with a sigh continue. "But if we wanna win that supply of evolutionary items, our videos have to be amazing."

It was Cameran's discovery. She had found the flier for the competition. The winner of the most viewed and like video series gets a giant case of evolutionary items.

"I know." Cameran says shortly.

It's six-thirty A.M. before we decide to head downstairs. I take one last longing look in my room. I smile at the bed pressed up against the wall for space and the oak computer desk next to it. The soothing green walls and plush carpeting will be missed greatly. Cameran beckons me to hurry up, rushing me down the sodden stairs. My parents sit on the tan leather couch, proud looks coming off their faces. On the glass coffee table sits a large plastic cylinder containing a pokemon egg.

"Dad? Mr. Tim?" My mom died years ago, when I was around two. My dad re-married Mr. Tim when I was six. My dad's gayness was no secret, and he seemed to pass it along genetically.

Though not even being related, I look more like time with my black hair and blue eyes, while my Dad is blond and brown eyes. I have the swimmer's build Mr. Tim has; he'd been training me for the last year to get ready for all the physical exertion I would be experiencing. He let my dad know almost everyday that I was really his child.

"Grant, we know you already have your Vulpix.." Mr. Tim starts.

"..but we decided that you might want something extra." They finish each others statements quite often. "The egg is already close to hatching, maybe within the next week."

M dad walks up and hands me the gorilla glass cylinder. I peer inside and see an orange and blue egg.

"That's most likely a-"

"Shut up Cameran I want to be surprised." I cut her off, playfully whining. I look back up at my parents and say: "Thanks guys! Really. I'm sure whatever it is, it will be a great addition to the team." I set the case down and envelope both of my parents in a hug. My dad's freshly shaved beard prickled my face and I laugh, forever going to miss that feeling. Me. Tim finally lets go and a strong hand gingerly pulls my dad away from me.

I hadn't noticed before, but my dad is crying. His silent tears cascade down his face as his body shakes and shivers. I was never good with criers.

My face widens into a grin, though, and I can't help but chuckle.

"I'm gonna be ok dad." He slowly nods his head. I give him a small reassuring smile for good measure. I look at Cameran and gesture towards the door.

"I'll make sure to take care of your son." Cameran jokes and my dad and I can't help but roll our eyes; I may not be like him physically, but we were basically one in the same. Despite the eyes roll, Dad pulls her into a hug, her dark hair whipping over his shoulder. She hesitantly hugs back, but eventually melts into it.

"I'm really gonna miss you too Mr. Lucas." She pulls back, grabs a hair tie, and pulls her silky, black hair into a ponytail.

There's a moment of awkward silence, but eventually Cameran and I head out the door. I stare at my house when I reach the edge of my driveway. A limp forms in my throat. 'I'll be back before they know it.'

"So I'm glad we said goodbye to my mom and dad yesterday; I don't think I could handle that much emotions early in the morning." She jokes, but her brown eyes reveal her sincerity and emotion. Her red and black pokemon ranger outfit, red shorts, leggings to her knees, and a black t-shirt and red short jacket, lays flat and tight against her ebony skin. Sometimes I think Cameran's the most beautiful creature on moments like these, but my lack of attraction towards girls restrain my thoughts from going any further.

"I'm gonna miss the Price's." I say, smiling softly at her. I adjust my gray and blue backpack, walk up to my best friend, clasp her shoulder and utter, "Let's go."


	2. Chapter 2

**_Ok so just so you know I'm gonna be making up some cities and towns, so things can be closer and more realistic. Not that American cities aren't good enough._**

* * *

**Act I: The Conversion**

Travel had continued for two hours before the sign telling us that the designated trail for trainers was in front of us. To be honest you could start in any forest, river side, or grassland, but these areas were designated as the safest places for trainers to go. The world of pokemon could be dangerous, so they say.

We crossed over into the new threshold, my own superstitions of the situation taking over, taking in all the new sensations and feelings.

The experience was lack luster for lack of better word.

There was none of the fantastical, romantic sensations cascading upon my mind like they did in the pokemon cartoons from when I was little.

I furrowed my brow in annoyance. I really was expecting something much more.

All around us was a plethora of trees, mostly pine, creating a natural canopy of leaves. Red, yellow, and brown leaves feel lightly to the ground, creating a symphony of fall colors. Behind the trees I could make out a small river, the rush making a small whoosh in the background.

It was strikingly beautiful.

"Cameran, I'm glad we decided to wait until the fall to start."

"Yeah this weather is perfect." She said nonchalantly.

"I mean yeah there's that? But this view," I said with a gesture of my hand. "It's hard to beat." A small smile reached my mouth as the breeze whisps on my face.

I looked to the side and see Cameran standing next to her Scyther, Napoleon. I solicited a small smile at the green bug and he gave me a light wave of a sworded hand. Cameran was estatic when she recieved her Scyther. She viewed them as the best pokemon for rangering.

Thinking about my own pokemon, I put down the egg case and fished out Coal's pokeball and released him. My Vulpix came out with a bright flash and a small whine. He yawned quietly and ruffled his ears.

"Hey bud." I said lightly. Coal seemed to blend in with the fall scenery, his dark red coat hiding camouflaging him. He perked up with the call of my voice and yipped happily. With his friend, Guillo in view, Coal ran off in front of us, the Scyther gliding next to him. I warned them not to go too far and the walking continue for a couple more hours.

* * *

Around two in the afternoon we took a break. I put the egg container down with a great humph, my arms quivering from the heavy lifting. I sat on the ground, stretching my yellow short covered, tan legs. My loafers constrained my feet, so I took them off, letting my feet breath.

"Remind me to get some better shoes." I told Cameran. Vulpix looked at me with pleading eyes. I rolled my eyes with a confirming smile. He meweled and Guillo followed him into some bushes.

Cameran sat in front of me, legs crossed in apple sauce form. She pulled her backpack to the front of her and took out a map book of Georgia. She flipped to a page with an enlarged photo of Georgia and began writing things down.

"So game plan?" She said, tying her hair in a messy pony tail. "This route will lead us straight Florida, we can get to Rapid Falls, and you can have your gym battle there." I nodded in agreement. "It's about a three days journey, so we'll have to stop in a nearby town to rest and restock on supplies."

"Alright that sounds good." I agreed with a nod of my head.

A feral growl was heard by both of us. We bolted through the bushes, after I picked up the egg case, searching for our two pokemon. We finally saw the two, with some company.

Coal was on top on some black pokemon, clawing and biting at the squealing pokemon.

"Coal!" I shouted. I looked over and saw Scyther standing next to a halved Rattata, eyes wide open.

The squealing stopped and a sickening crunch filled the air. My Vulpix hopped off the, now dead, Gothita and calmly walked over to me. His paws and muzzle were covered in blood. He looked up at me with his eyes as innocent as ever.

I wasn't shocked. Coal and I have been together for almost a year and I've seen him kill before. I never liked seeing him do it though, my stomach always clenched and churned when blood was involved.

The dead carcass began glowing as Cameran started walking away. A dark aura rose from the body and shot towards my body. My mouth agape, it entered through my nose and my mouth. A cold spread through my whole body and darkness covered my sight. I could see stars in the dark expanse and I could tell all the different constellations. One was the brightest, the Pisces; they two fish swam around each other in the sky in an eternal dance.

The sky reddened and the stars started falling out of the sky. I tried to scream but nothing came out.

A bright light washed over me and I was back on the route, Coal staring up at me.

I quietly returned him, spooked out of my whits, stomach turning over, reminding myself to clean his muzzle before we got to the next town.

* * *

Seconds turned into minutes, minutes into hours as we traversed the flat lands. It was a couple of hours before I had my own encounter meant with a wild pokemon. I had allowed Coal to go off on his own, after promptly cleaning off his snout, and battle any wild pokemon to rack up experience.

I'd caught sight of a small battle he had and it was scary how ruthless Coal could be. He always, no matter what, went for the throat, blocking off airways and then tossed them around like a rag doll. He was quick and stealthy and it worried me just a little.

The pokemon in front of me, though, wasnt gonna allow a full frontal attack that Coal preferred. A small, blue bunny, rodent thingy kept Coal from getting close. The female nidoran's mouth dripped with poison.

"Ember." The loyal fox listened and sent a fiery hearth towards the poison pokemon. It screeched when the fire surrounded it and scorched the her body.

I threw a pokeball and I didn't worry as the ball shook three times and then finally stopped. I smiled down at the ball and put it in my pocket.

"What should I name it?" I asked Cameran.

"What about Elanor?" I thought about it and then agreed.

"Elanor's a cute name."

Our first encounter with a human came only minutes later. He was dressed in khaki shorts and a blue striped button up shirt. He was attractive, with hair that shined and had a silky shine to it. He was leaned up against a tree, sitting down, legs stretched out in front of him. His eyes were closed in a peaceful slumber.

In his lap he had a Happiny, who perked up when's he heard our footsteps. Her squirming caused the guy to stir. I could see the sleep in his eyes. He looked at Cameran as I with bored expressions, one that easily matched Cameran's.

He scrunched his eyebrows and said: "What're you guys doing exactly?" We were standing over him, so I guess it seemed weird.

"Staring at you, I thought it was obvious." Cameran deadpanned.

A chuckle escaped my lips and the guy on the ground smiled.

"Ok just checking." He replied while getting up, with a grad stretch and yawn. He looked at both of us, his Happiny dancing around his legs. "Name's Mason and I challenge you both to a battle."

**Ok so lame I know. **


End file.
